Introducing the High-Definition Multimedia Interface

High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is the new connectivity standard for high definition consumer electronics. It provides a convenient all-in-one digital video and audio connection, plus unparalleled bandwidth for support of the latest innovations in HDTV and home theater technology. HDMI is your connection to the most lifelike and exciting experiences in home entertainment.

The HDMI connectivity standard was developed by Hitachi, Matsushita (Panasonic), Philips, Silicon Image, Sony, Thomson (RCA), and Toshiba.


The High Definition Multimedia Interface standard continues to evolve to support new advances in audio and video technology. To date, the HDMI™ specification has been revised six times since its release in December 2002. The latest version of the standard is HDMI 1.3a, featuring two specifications, Category 1 and Category 2.
 

 

 

 

The Evolution of the HDMI™ Standard
A Technology Standard in Motion (HDMI version 1.0 to today)

Since 2002, the High Definition Multimedia Interface specification has been revised six times. See the chart below. The HDMI™ standard is revised for a number of different reasons, but one of the most significant is to provide support for new advances in audio and video technology and increased bandwidth to support these new features. The most recent HDMI 1.3a, Category 2 specification, for example, specifies data speeds as high as 10.2 Gbps (340 MHz) with the aid of signal equalization.

Innovation in HDMI™ connectivity is, of course, a good thing. It ensures HDMI™ equipped AV equipment and cables will support the newest, most exciting advances in HDTV and Home Theater technology, from 1080p video with 12-bit Deep Color™ to lossless uncompressed Dolby® True HD or DTS-HD™ surround sound.

Unfortunately, updates to the High Definition Multimedia Interface specification have also caused customer confusion, as well as performance incompatibilities between AV components and HDMI™ cables. While new HDMI™ cables are backwards compatible with early versions of the High Definition Multimedia Interface specification, first-generation HDMI™ cables generally do not have the bandwidth required for the most cutting-edge features in new HDTVs and HD sources.

Deep Color is a good example, now available in HDTVs from a number of major manufacturers, including Sony (Bravia) and Toshiba (Regza), among others. If your HDMI™ cable isn't HDMI 1.3a, Category 2 compliant, you won't experience this advanced color feature, boasting color depth from 16 million colors to billions of colors , for more lifelike imaging with deeper blacks and more natural skin tones.

HDMI 1.0	HDMI 1.1	HDMI 1.2	HDMI 1.3
Initial Specification	Added support for DVD Audio	Added support for SACD Audio	Increases bandwidth to 10.2Gbps (340Mhz)
		Permitted PC applications to use only RGB color space	Offers support for 16-bit color, increased refresh rates (ex. 120Hz), support for 1440p/WQXGA resolutions
		Supported low-voltage (AC-coupled sources) in PCs	Supports xvYCC color space standard
			Adds mini connector
			Adds support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio standards

Source: IDC, 2006
 

 

 

 

HDMI™ Issues
The Beauty and the Beast

HDMI is your connection to the most lifelike entertainment experiences the Consumer Electronics industry has ever known, supporting audio and video resolutions that were unimaginable only a few years ago. It's also the "one-cable" solution that simplifies HDTV and home theater hookup. That’s the "Beauty" of HDMI™.

The "Beast" is the confusion HDMI™ has engendered in the marketplace, in part due to its rapidly evolving specification. Since the release of the HDMI 1.0 in 2002, the High Definition Multimedia Interface standard has been revised six times. To keep pace, AV equipment and cable manufacturers have also updated their products. As a result, products have been released into the market based on different versions of the HDMI specification with different performance capabilities.

Internet forums and chat rooms are abuzz with HDMI™ cable issues. Often HDMI cables work with one source and then fail with another because they are suitable for 1080i, but not 1080p. Sometimes they don't work at all.

While revisions to the HDMI specification ensure HDMI equipped components support the latest audio/video features on new sources and displays, they also can cause performance incompatibilities between components. Additionally, revisions to the HDMI specification can mean cables made just a few years ago are no longer up to date with current HD standards. HDMI 1.3a Category 2 cables, for example, support much higher data rates than early HDMI cables based on the original 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.2a specifications.

As a result, only HDMI 1.3a Category 2 cables take full advantage of the most advanced features on new sources and displays, such as 12-bit Deep Color, extended xvYCC color, and "lossless" compressed Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD™ surround sound. Put another way: enthusiasts with HDMI™ cables based on the original 1.0 specs need to upgrade their HDMI™ cables to enjoy movies and games in Deep Color, compressed lossless sound, and more.
 

 

 

 

Differences in HDMI™ Cables
The Misunderstood HDMI Cable

There’s a popular misconception that all HDMI™ cables are the same. The only true difference between them is price, many say. This is inaccurate. The fact is not all HDMI™ cables are created equal. Just as not all levels of high definition are the same, not all HDMI cables are the same.

Today's cutting-edge HDTVs and high definition sources demand dramatically higher data rates than previous generations of components and place incredible bandwidth/performance demands on HDMI™ cables. In fact, today's most advanced components operate very close to the limits of HDMI™ technology.

Take 1080p video with advanced 12-bit color. To experience this level of high definition video and color depth, your HDMI™ cable must support a minimum data rate of 6.68 Gbps. That's an astounding six billion bits per second, more than six times the data rate required for standard DVD playback. This is also a higher data rate than what's required for Simplay HD™ verification, meaning even "Simplay HD Verified" cables don't necessarily support Deep Color.

To support the higher data rates required by today's higher definition components, HDMI™ cables require advanced design and construction and strict quality control standards. This is particularly true of long-length HDMI™ cables that will be used for custom installation.

Additionally, HDMI™ cables must meet current High Definition Multimedia Interface specifications, and preferably exceed them, so that they are future ready for tomorrow's advances in HD audio/video technology. If not, they might require an upgrade with the next generation of HD components.


Meeting the Need for Speed Know What You're Getting
Many inexpensive cables sold on the Internet provide no real assurance that they will pass rigid HDMI specifications. In some instances, they only feature an HDMI™ logo, but fail to mention what data speed they support and/or if they meet the requirements of the latest specification, HDMI 1.3a. In other words, cables with an HDMI logo might be HDMI 1.0 compliant, but there's some question if they're built for the HDMI 1.3a Category 1 or Category 2 spec.

If packaging also doesn't feature a Simplay HD verified logo or a certified speed, there's some doubt it can even achieve a speed of 4.46 Gbps, required for verifiable 1080p performance. Just because a cable package has an HDMI™ logo on it doesn't mean it will meet HDMI performance requirements.

Also, claims of compatibility with "HDMI 1.3" are no guarantee a cable will maximize the performance of new and future HD equipment. There are two HDMI 1.3a specifications; one supporting speeds up to 4.46 Gbps (Category 1), and another supporting speeds up to 10.2 Gbps or 340 MHz (Category 2) with the aid of signal equalization. As previously mentioned, the latter specification is a must for 1080p performance with additional enhanced color features and lossless compressed surround sound.



 

Differences in High Definition
Not All High Definition Is the Same

The ultimate goal of high definition is to reproduce all the color and detail the human eye can see. We're not there yet, but we're getting closer all the time. High definition displays and sources have advanced tremendously in the past two years; a trend that will only accelerate as digital processing becomes more powerful and less expensive to implement.

In order to understand just how far we've come and where we're going, let’s look at the past and future of high-quality video formats, starting with yesterday’s high-end progressive scan DVD players.

• Standard Definition Progressive Scan video from components, such as high-end DVD players and game consoles, introduced a data rate of .81 Gigabits per second at 60Hz scan rate with 8-bit color depth. Progressive scan video is available via component video connections.


• From Standard Definition to today's High Definition HDTV (High Definition Television) as we know it today introduced higher resolutions of 720p (progressive) or 1080i (interlace). Both are High Definition. With high definition, data rate increased from 0.81 Gbps to 2.23 Gbps, almost three times the amount of data per second.
  
  The single digital connection launches: HDMI 1.0


• From High Definition to "Higher Definition" Going beyond HDTV resolution, new formats such as HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc players now enable the best HD has to offer today: 1080p content. Many manufacturers have their own saying for this, such as "True HD" or "Full HD."
  
  The data rate is double that of HDTV, 4.46 Gbps. Many HDMI™ cables can't support this, especially at longer lengths. Enter a new High Definition Multimedia Interface specification of 1.2 and 1.2a, which also introduces support of high-resolution SACD and DVD-Audio (192 kHz/24-bit resolution over eight channels). Certainly, that’s an incredible amount of data to travel down the same cable.


• From Higher Definition to "Ultra-High Definition." As technology advances, content and sources will enable picture and sound that goes beyond the best HD has to offer today. Higher frame/refresh rates (120 Hz compared to today’s 60 Hz) remove jitter for a smoother, more lifelike picture. Advances in color will reproduce all the colors the eye, exceeding even 10-bit and 12-bit Deep Color, sometimes also referred to in the PC world as 30-bit and 48-bit color (10 or 12 bits each for Red, Green, and Blue.)
  
  Today, Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD, and PS3 already offer some of these capabilities and the future will bring even more advances. These future advances in color and frame rates will take the data rate requirements higher than even the latest version of the HDMI ™standard, which enables 4.46 Gbps and extends the possible bandwidth up to 10.2 Gbps by using equalization to compensate for signal loss.

This illustration shows some of the data rate requirements of an HDMI cable as the technology improves.

The Look and Sound of an Inferior Cable
HDMI cables have a lot to deliver-billions of bits per second, to be precise. What does it look like when they fail to meet the challenge? Cable-induced video artifacts can be as small as color banding (loss of color gradations), pixel dropouts, "sparklies" popping intermittently on the screen, and "solarization," where the gradients of color are not accurately produced.




In severe cases, there is "noise" and "snow" and streaks that occasionally blast across the screen. In the most severe cases, the picture will black out altogether. Customers have reported many instances in which picture quality was poor, and replacing their generic cable with a higher speed cable for HDMI™ solved their problem.
 

 

 

 

HDMI™ and Large Displays
People's appetite for larger and larger HD screens seems insatiable. It was only two years ago that a 40-inch flatscreen display was considered large. Today, 60-inch and 70-inch screens are now commonplace. Even more amazing, today’s 100-inch screens are now the same price as yesterday’s 60-inch displays.

Large high definition displays with larger pixels make video imperfections all the more obvious. Deterioration of data caused by lesser-quality HDMI™ cables can be seen more easily on larger displays. Artifacts, such as color banding and contouring, also become more visible on larger displays. In addition, motion artifacts at the slower refresh rate of 60 Hz are more visible, as are the smooth motion enhancements in faster-refreshing 90 Hz and 120 Hz displays.


Even as 1080p is taking hold, there is talk of monitors with even higher pixel densities, which put even greater data demands on HDMI™ cables. Monster® always strives to push the envelope in High Definition Multimedia cable technology and construction. That means increasing cable bandwidth and durability, so we always will fulfill the promise of HD picture quality.


 

 

HDMI™ Over Long Lengths
Consumers want to save space and hang their new high definition flatscreen TV on the wall. They also want to hide their gear for a clean, sophisticated look.". Of course, that means running longer HDMI™ cables in wall.

It’s now not uncommon to find video components located 25, 50, and even 75 feet away from a TV. This means that data-intensive high definition video and audio must be transmitted over very long distances.

Unfortunately, HDMI™ cables were never designed for this purpose, and performance over long lengths is not specified in the HDMI™ standard. Therefore, highly advanced cable designs are required to meet the performance specifications of HDMI 1.3a, Category 2 and beyond over long lengths.

Monster® uses larger conductors, special winding techniques, and low-loss dielectrics (conductor insulators) to maintain high performance High Definition Multimedia Interface data integrity over long lengths. Monster® construction and technology allows for some of the longest cable lengths available. In addition, with Monster®’s special cable balancing networks hundreds of feet of cable are now available. Best of all, Monster®’s HDMI™ cables are UL CL rated, so they can be run in walls -- a must for flat-screens that hang on the wall.
 

 

 

 

HDMI™ and Custom Installation
Monster® is a leader in HDMI™ for Custom Installation. Monster CI™ cables for HDMI™ deliver true 1080p performance at some of the longest lengths on the market. They also feature extra-durable connectors, protective jackets, and CL-3 fire rating certification for safe, reliable in-wall installation.

Monster Advanced™ for HDMI™ cables are designed to withstand the abuse that comes with in-wall installations. Pulling HDMI cables through walls and small holes, bending cables around sharp corners, and tugging on connectors to pull them through ceiling or TV mounts can significantly affect cable performance. Monster’s rugged connectors, oversized conductors, and meshed jackets protect cables from damage.

Monster Advanced™ for HDMI™ cables give customers the peace of mind that their custom install cables will work with the best gear now and in the future without costly upgrades and rewiring. Remember, it costs much more to pull out an inexpensive cable than to install a properly designed and tested one at the start.
 

 

 

 

Monster® Speed Rated HDMI Cables
Monster® makes it easy to select a cable that will maximize HD performance today and remain ahead of the technology curve.

Only Monster® offers high performance speed-rated cables and a unique, easy-to-shop speed medallion system on its cable packaging, so it easy for HD enthusiasts to pick the right cable with the right speed, performance, and price for their components, from upconverting DVD players to the latest 120 Hz HDTVs and 12-bit sources, such as the Playstation 3.


 

 

Monster® Performance Testing
HDMI™ cables require proper testing to ensure they can meet the data rate demands of higher definition components.

The test standards themselves are new, and very few labs have the equipment to accurately test cables. Reviewers and writers who have done casual visual testing, without the proper test equipment and processes, have not always reported the quality differences between HDMI™ cables.

Monster® has always conducted state-of-the-art testing on its cables, including eye pattern tests—the industry accepted method of testing the performance of HDMI™ cables. We also submit our HDMI™ cables for third-party verification by Simplay HD™, the official testing and verification body for all High Definition Multimedia Interface products.


Monster® has found that HDMI™ cable performance can vary widely, if cables are not designed and manufactured to strict standards. Many HDMI™ cables being sold do not meet actual HDMI™ cable specifications. Often cables are acceptable for 1080i video but not 1080p video, requiring double the amount of throughput. Often picture degradation and artifacts that have been attributed to displays and sources are actually caused by poor cable performance.

Monster® tests 100% of its HDMI™ cables for quality so you know the cable will work when you install it. In addition to eye pattern testing, Monster® performs extensive environmental and durability testing, twisting and pulling on the connectors, as an installer would, to make sure signal integrity is maintained even under stress.


 

 

 

 

Simplay Verified for Speed and Performance
Simplay HD is the test lab with expertise in validating High Definition Multimedia Interface performance of all
HDMI capable components, including cables.

The Simplay HD Testing Program is comprised of leading consumer electronics manufacturers and technology providers focused on delivering fully compatible products for consumers.

Monster Advanced™ for HDMI™ cables are speed verified by Simplay, so you can have confidence in their performance and know what you're getting.
 

 

 

 

Monster Cable for Life Performance Promise
Monster® is committed to being the High Definition Multimedia Interface leader. With proper engineering, test methods, meticulous manufacturing, and stringent quality control, the benefactor is our customer. Monster may cost more, but it’s worth it. In fact, we guarantee it. Monster® has always guaranteed that if any cable does not work over its lifetime, it will be replaced at no charge. That’s the Monster® commitment to quality.

For HDMI™, Monster® now takes that promise to a whole new level. Select Monster Advanced™ for HDMI™ cables carry our Cable for Life Performance Promise:

Monster® designs its advanced cables for HDMI™ to meet and exceed the highest of High Definition Multimedia Interface standards. As Digital TVs and sources continue to improve and data requirements increase, Monster® will continue to build cables that lead in performance. If the components your customers purchase in the future ever surpass the performance of select Monster® cables they buy today, Monster® will upgrade these cables absolutely free.
 

 

 

 

HDMI™: Clearing up the Confusion White Paper

Download Head Monster Noel Lee's 16-page
technical white paper on HDMI, providing a
complete overview of the High Definition Multimedia Interface standards, common problems, testing of cables and how to choose
an HDMI™ cable.
 

 

 

 

Papers & Articles

There's a lot of information available on High Definition Multimedia Interface. Unfortunately, not all of it is accurate. In fact, there's a lot discussion on the Internet that is poorly informed or simply wrong. Here's a selection of some of the best HDMI™ papers, articles and other resources for a better understanding of the High Definition Multimedia Interface standard.



What is HDMI™?
HDMI is an all-digital interface that delivers crystal clear audio and video via a single cable. HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface and was created by a group of industry leaders, including Sony, Hitachi, Thomson (RCA), Philips, Matsushita (Panasonic), Toshiba, and Silicon Image.

HDMI™ - A Digital Interface Solution
Rodolfo La Maestra's 10-part series on HDMI™ in HDTV magazine, covering every facet of HDMI, from the HDMI 1.3 specification to high-resolution audio over HDMI™.

Official HDMI™ Brochure
Helpful brochure from HDMI Licensing, Inc. outlining the many benefits of HDMI™, from Deep Color support to lossless surround sound.

Clearing Up the HDMI™ Confusion
Monster Cable®'s 10-page White Paper on HDMI™ and the different specifications, including a helpful FAQ section.

Life is Tough for an HDMI Cable from Monster Cable
Monster Cable®'s 16-page technical white paper on HDMI™, providing a complete overview of the multiple High Definition Multimedia Interface standards, common problems, testing of cables, and how to choose an HDMI™ cable.

HDMI 1.3's Impact on Cables
HDMI is a key component required to achieve the ultimate home theatre entertainment experience. With HDMI 1.3, we have moved into a new era of home theatre possiblities.

Monster Advanced for HDMI, The Need for Speed
The high standards and data throughput requirements on the HDMI interface require proper testing to make sure the cable can deliver.

Improvements In Blu-Ray™ Source Components Demonstrate The Need For Speed In HDMI Cables
We have decided to print this article because it demonstrates a real-world complication and solution.

Monster Cable's Noel Lee
Interview from Widescreen Review